From our Newsdesk

Your views wanted!

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales wants to hear from older people living with dementia, and their carers, about what kind of respite care they would like to see at an upcoming event being held at the University of South Wales in Pontypridd on Friday 2nd February 2018.

The Commissioner is concerned that current respite care services, which are generally focused on providing carers with a much needed break from their caring role and responsibilities, are not always meeting the needs of people living with dementia and will publish a report in April that sets out how respite care could be delivered in ways that offer genuine and meaningful opportunities, beyond traditional offerings such as residential care and day services.

To ensure that her Rethinking Respite report has the voices of older people living with dementia and the voices of their carers at its heart, the Commissioner is running a series of discussion sessions across Wales during January and February to capture their views and experiences.

Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, said:

“Respite care was an area of concern identified by my 2016 report, Dementia: more than just memory loss, which made clear the range of challenges that people living with dementia, and their carers, often face in accessing the services, support, information and advice they need.

“Despite the importance of high-quality, easily accessible respite care – both for people living with dementia and for their carers – my dementia report showed that this kind of essential support can be difficult to find, lacks flexibility and is often not tailored to meet people’s individual needs.

“That’s why I want to hear from older people living with dementia, and their carers, about their experiences of accessing and using respite care – to not only understand where improvements are needed, but also to identify good practice and ways of working that will make a big difference to their day-to-day lives and their wellbeing.”

If you are living with dementia, or are a carer for someone living with dementia, and would like to find out more about how you can take part in the discussion session being held University of South Wales in Pontypridd on Friday 2 February 2018, call 03442 640670 or email ask@olderpeoplewales.com

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